Centrifugal separator

ABSTRACT

A centrifugal separator which includes a centrifugal pump for pumping the fluid from the separator, the pump being constituted by stationary vanes co-operating with the rotating fluid. This invention relates to centrifugal separators. According to the present invention a centrifugal separator for separating solid particles from fluid includes a centrifugal pump for removing the cleaned fluid from the separator. Thus the pump may include stationary vanes mounted in relation to a rotatable casing and/or a rotatable shaft which is arranged to rotate the fluid so that centrifugal separation can be achieved and the rotary motion of the fluid in relation to the stationary vanes establishes the necessary pressure head for pumping the fluid from the separator. A rotatable casing is conveniently mounted on an over-hanging extension of a shaft so that the casing is capable of being slid off the free end of the shaft, and in this way it becomes an easy matter to remove, clean and replace the casing when it has collected a lot of particles. One application of the invention is to the separation of the byproducts from a magnesium water cell which continually gives off magnesium hydroxide in water. If the magnesium hydroxide can be separated off in the separator the water can be recirculated for continuous use in the cell. The centrifugal separator can be used in a recirculating system for the fluid from a battery for driving an electric motor, and then the separator can be driven from the motor shaft. This is a particularly neat and compact arrangement where, for example, a magnesium water cell is used for driving an electric motor because the magnesium hydroxide can be easily separated before recirculation. This is particularly advantageous for an electric motor for driving a lawn mower or a similar load.

United States Patent Cacciabue et a1.

[451 May 30, 1972 54] CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR 768,751 8/1904 llanson .23310 779,986 1/1905 Arnberg. ..233/10 [72] Invenmrs Cacciabueg Rdney2,476,377 7/1949 Le Clair .233/23 R x E i Beazley, Maldstoney Kent, bothof 3,052,401 9/1962 Thylefors .233 19 R ng an [73] Assignee: The GlacierMetal Company Limited, Al- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS perton,Wembley, Middlesex, England 154,514 5/1956 Sweden ..233/27 [22] Flled:May 1969 Primary ExaminerJordan Franklin [21 1 Appl. No.: 822,398Assistant Examiner-George H. Krizmanich AttrneyPierce, Scheffler &Parker [52] US. Cl. ..233/l A, 233/27 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..B01d21/26, B04b 1/00, B04b 3/00 [58] Field of Search ..233/28, 27, 38, 46,47, 23, A Centrifugal separator which c es a r ugal pump for 233/24, 10,19, l A, 4, 7, 13, 20 R, 20 A; 415/89, pumping the fluid from theseparator, the pump being con- 90 stituted by stationary vanesco-operating with the rotating fluid. [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 729,532 6/1903 Ben-igan..233/47 R 21 22 Y 38 Y I Z 2 ll 29 34 f 33 F me; Q

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PATENTEDMAY30 I912 3,666,170 SHEET 10F 2 FIG.

INVENTORS ANTON) CACC\ABVG- RODNEY T. BEA'LLEY P BY A, P

W Wm? PATENTED Mn 30 I972 SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTORS DNEY T. BEAIL x9 J/MWTTORNEYS BY kw a CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR This invention relates tocentrifugal separators.

According to the present invention a centrifugal separator forseparating solid particles from fluid includes a centrifugal pump forremoving the cleaned fluid from the separator.

Thus the pump may include stationary vanes mounted in relation to arotatable casing and/or a rotatable shaft which is arranged to rotatethe fluid so that centrifugal separation can be achieved and the rotarymotion of the fluid in relation to the stationary vanes establishes thenecessary pressure head for pumping the fluid from the separator.

A rotatable casing is conveniently mounted on an overhanging extensionof a shaft so that the casing is capable of being slid off the free endof the shaft, and in this way it becomes an easy matter to remove, cleanand replace the casing when it has collected a lot of particles.

One application of the invention is to the separation of the by-productsfrom a magnesium water cell which continually gives of? magnesiumhydroxide in water. If the magnesium hydroxide can be separated off inthe separator the water can be recirculated for continuous use in thecell.

The centrifugal separator can be used in a recirculating system for thefluid from a battery for driving an electric motor, and then theseparator can be driven from the motor shaft. This is a particularlyneat and compact arrangement where, for example, a magnesium water cellis used for driving an electric motor because the magnesium hydroxidecan be easily separated before recirculation.

This is particularly advantageous for an electric motor for driving alawn mower or a similar load.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways and twoembodiments will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section through one form of separator,

FIG. 2 is a section on the line IIII in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section through IIIIII of another form of separator, and

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV in FIG. 3.

In the separator shown in FIG. 1 fluid containing particles which arerequired to be separated from the fluid is fed to a fluid supply pipeextending through the wall 21 of a housing 22 which houses both anelectric motor 23 and a rotary separator 24, the housing having adetachable end cover 19. The motor 23 has a shaft 25 journalled inbearings 26 in the housing 22, a hollow extension 27 of the shaftextending into the region within the cover 19.

Rigidly secured to a radial wall 29 in the casing 22 is a cylinder 28co-axial with the shaft extension 27 and having at its end remote fromthe motor a diffuser 30 having vanes 31 best shown in FIG. 2. An outletpipe 33 communicates with the interior of the cylinder 28. The rotaryseparator has a detachable cover 34 which defines with an end wall 35carried on the cylinder 28 a filter chamber 36. The end wall 35 isprovided with a rotary face seal between it and the cylinder 28. Thecover 34 is secured by a screw 37 to the end of the extension shaft 27.Spring clips 38 are pivoted on the wall 35 so that the outer ends canclip over the end of the cover 34.

Fluid to be filtered enters the pipe 20 which leads across the interiorof the cylinder 28 to within the hollow extension shaft 27 via radialbores 40. Lip seals 41 and 42 are provided to prevent fluid escaping.The fluid, which is supplied under a slight pressure, passes along theinterior of shaft 27 and leaves it via radial exit openings 43 to passinto the chamber 36. The fluid and the solid particles are subjected tocentrifugal forces and the solids collect on the walls of the cover 34,the cleaned fluid being pumped out of the separator by means of thediffuser 30 and vanes 31 into the cylinder 28 and thence out of thefluid exit pipe 33.

When the cover 34 requires cleaning it can be removed by taking off thecover 19, by releasing a bayonet coupling 44, unscrewing the screw 37,and releasing the clips 38.

A rotor driven at about 3,000 rpm. by an electric motor might give thefluid sufficient angular momentum to cooperate with the stationary vanes31 to give a pressure drop across the diffuser of 5, 6 or 7 lbs./sq.inch.

The diffuser vanes may not be as shown in FIG. 2 but could be inaccordance with any known form of diffuser.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the motor shaft 51 is solidand carries the removable, rotary separator casing 52 on its free end53.

The end shield 54 of the motor carries an assembly consisting of aradial inlet 55, a tube 56 defining an inlet passage with the shaft 51,a tube 57 defining an outlet passage with the tube 56, and an outlet 58.

Diffuser vanes 59 are carried between annular flanges on the free endsof the tubes 56 and 57 for establishing a delivery pressure head in therotating fluid and for pumping a small fraction of the fluid throughopenings 59 into a chamber 61, whence the fluid is forced through radialopenings 62 to provide hydro-dynamic lubrication to a bearing consistingof cooperating cylindrical surfaces on respective parts 63 and 64 of thestationary and rotary components. A seal 65 protects against loss offluid from the chamber 61.

The stationary external flange 66 on the tube 56 assists the flow offluid centrifugally outwards and back through the diffuser.

The casing 52 can be easily detached at 67 and 53, and removed forcleaning or replacement.

A cover (not shown) releasably fitted to the motor and shield willprotect the rotating parts and keep dirt ofi. It will have openings forinlet and outlet fluid lines.

Each embodiment is suitable for filtering off the magnesium hydroxideby-products from the potassium bromide catalyst in a magnesium/waterelectric cell for driving a motor for a lawn mower. The same motor willof course be the one driving the separator.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. A centrifugal separator for separating solid particles from fluid,the separator including a rotatable casing for rotating the fluid anddefining a chamber for the fluid, the casing having a first end and asecond end, a rotatable shaft passing through the first end of thecasing and fixedly attached at one end to the second end of the casing,an inlet for fluid, said inlet being coaxial with said shaft, acentrifugal pump operatively associated with said chamber for removingcleaned fluid from the casing, said pump comprising stationary vanes forcooperation with rotating fluid and an outlet co-axial with said shaft.

2. A separator according to claim 1 wherein said shaft is hollow and hasapertures formed adjacent the second end of said casing, said shaftdefining said inlet for fluid.

3. A separator according to claim 1 wherein said inlet for fluid isformed between said shaft and said outlet.

4. A separator according to claim 1 wherein said casing includes meanssealing the casing from the second end of the shaft.

5. A separator according to claim 1 wherein said pump is situated withinsaid casing.

w' f -T F m F\ 4 I I 5 cilii llrici llfi 0: $.33 @QOA 3, 666, 170 Datedy 3 1972 Invcntoflfii) ANTONIO CACCIABU'E, and RODNEY THOMAS BEAZLEY I:is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and ahasaid "Letters Patent are hereby, corrected as shown below:

'- Ikie claim f oz tp z iorit y as evidenced by the claiin file March'10, 1972- of B'fiiti'shapplicaiflons 21.88 0/68 and- 51107/68 shquldapp'eri n fik if-gt ssu ed patent.

(SEAL) H Attest: l" EDWARD A TCHER, J'R.-ijf 1 fRQBERTQ-GOTT SCHALK-Attesqlng Officer 1 flp rr linilssijipner c513 Patents

1. A centrifugal separator for separating solid particles from fluid,the separator including a rotatable casing for rotating the fluid anddefining a chamber for the fluid, the casing having a first end and asecond end, a rotatable shaft passing through the first end of thecasing and fixedly attached at one end to the second end of the casing,an inlet for fluid, said inlet being coaxial with said shaft, acentrifugal pump operatively associated with said chamber for removingcleaned fluid from the casing, said pump comprising stationary vanes forco-operation with rotating fluid and an outlet co-axial with said shaft.2. A separator according to claim 1 wherein said shaft is hollow and hasapertures formed adjacent the second end of said casing, said shaftdefining said inlet for fluid.
 3. A separator according to claim 1wherein said inlet for fluid is formed between said shaft and saidoutlet.
 4. A separator according to claim 1 wherein said casing includesmeans sealing the casing froM the second end of the shaft.
 5. Aseparator according to claim 1 wherein said pump is situated within saidcasing.